Ave-New: UAlbany planning students present recommendations for district

Last week, students from the University at Albany’s Department of Geography and Planning completed their semester-long project on Central Avenue. The 16 graduate and undergraduate students focused on strategies to foster growth in Central Avenue’s newly designated “Cultural Village,” a stretch of Central Avenue between Robin and Ontario that’s becoming known for its international cuisine and multicultural retail, religious, and social opportunities.

Professor Thyagarajan’s students didn’t pull any punches when they drew up the plans for the emerging cultural district. Teams of students conducted a fearless inventory of all the properties in the eight block area surrounding the intersection of Quail and Central (Elk to Lake and West Street to Ontario) inspecting each parcel in the district, and rating each based on its condition and use.

Points were detracted for missing signs, degraded siding, and cracked sidewalks. Students also analyzed district demographics, transportation, parking, signage, and formal and informal gathering spaces, in order to create a blueprint for the way forward.

Students had to assess district strengths and weaknesses, and we had to cringe when we heard some of their critiques. The district was nailed for its lack of open public space. Except for McDonald’s, bus stops and stoops, Central Avenue doesn’t have public gathering spaces for the community. The district was also called out for a lack of signage and visual landmarks or cues that would create a sense of place. According to the report, everything blends together, and so nothing stands out, creating an overall impression of a place to pass by, rather than stop.

But the district was also given props for its cultural diversity. If leveraged, this asset could be a catalyst for the area, the students continued, building a destination that capitalizes on the area’s heritage, intellectual vigor, and people.

Here are some of the students’ key recommendations for building up the Central Avenue’s identity as a cultural destination:

Slow down traffic and make Central more pedestrian friendly by widening curbs at intersections and installing a planted median down the center of Central Avenue.

Provide a center that showcases cultural diversity of districts through art exhibits, museums, and performance. The Linda offers one such venue, but Central Avenue needs more.

Create a multipurpose outdoor space for public use.

Incorporate signage that promotes a sense of place.

Create recreational and communal spaces that residents can gather in, including parks, playgrounds, and community gardens.

Finally, rehab residential facades and infill vacancies with affordable row housing to create more attractive housing stock for the local community whose median annual household income is just above $20,000.